Currently, we have a standing consent order (signed by judge & filed). Naturally, child support is included based on the NC Guidelines. However, our three sons are into sports BIG TIME and I’ve found myself spending thousands of dollars every year in AAU and rec & parks programs to pay for their registration fees, etc. Can I ask a judge to consider these fees when calculating child support?
Extracurricular activities are not a part of the child support calculation. However, pursuant to the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines, a deviation from the guidelines is appropriate when:
"after hearing evidence and making findings regarding the reasonable needs of the child for support and the relative ability of each parent to provide support, it finds by the greater weight of the evidence that application of the guidelines would not meet, or would exceed, the reasonable needs of the child considering the relative ability of each parent to provide support, or would otherwise be unjust or inappropriate.
So, you could always seek a deviation from the guidelines, and ask for the judge to deviate from the guidelines.
The way that extracurricular activities is addressed most typically (in agreements or court orders) is by way of an additional clause that states specifically how extracurriculars are to be dealt with. Ie, “both parents will divide evenly any agreed upon extracurricular activities greater than $100,” or something along those lines.